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Once again we have a split that is very evenly matched. Both band's styles complement the other but offer distinct personality and sound in their own right. We'll begin with the Thornspawn tracks as they are a band new to me.
One thing I dislike are intros, especially when they go over about 10 seconds. Thankfully Thornspawn was (excuse the shitty pun) music to my ears, and as soon as the notes of... More »

For the most part tuneful Black Metal is a limp, flaccid undertaking; drooping on the fringes of the underground but mostly whoring itself for mainstream consumption. Rare are the exceptions to this. Taake managed to accomplish it admirably over recent years. Now we have a new contender with a refreshing secret formula proving that... More »

Grubby and dirt ridden medium paced Black Metal is what Teratism herald on their startling fourth full length. Right from the first opening moments of 'Iesous Khristos Cambion' they drag you into their subterranean lair to be disciplined with thoroughly rotten and violent soundwaves.
Ten tracks of excellently written and delivered harshness. As above 'Iesous... More »

There are a lot of reviews of Nihilistic Stench out there but a fair portion of those have missed the point. Comparing Nadiwrath to other bands and styles rather than focusing on what the band create themselves. This is an accomplished piece of individual Black... More »

With much expectation Dead To This World are about to unleash a new EP. We caught up with Iscariah to ask him about it and all things DTTW.
I’ve been listening to the new song on your MySpace and have tried to compare it to First... More »

A few years back I spent some time listening to a demo by Svartsyn. If I remember correctly it was nasty and fierce raw black metal. As this is their sixth full length it seems that once again I have some catching up to do.
As... More »

Gra purvey a traditional style of Swedish Black Metal. In a scene rammed full of mediocre bands trying the very same thing it takes something special or different to stand out from the masses.
It took me a while to figure out why this EP did... More »

It feels like a long time since we got our teeth sunk into Mare's previous release and I was eager to give this plenty of airtime. As we suspected Spheres like death doesn't disappoint and offers up another quality helping of one of the scene's... More »

Now it has passed I am looking back on 2010 as a vintage year for the underground. There was a deluge of excellent releases by excellent bands right through the year. One of the very best, and probably my personal favourite was Exaltation of Wisdom.... More »

The Ukraine hasn't historically produced a mass of decent Black Metal. When they do however, they tend to be gleaming black underground bands more than worthy of note. Virvel Av Morkerhatet are such a band who discharge music containing great variety and candor while maintaining... More »

Jointly released by English label Barghest and Norwegian label Terratur Possessions, this new Dødsengel EP delivers more insanity and ritualistic modern Black Metal.
First thing to note is that Alongside Choronzon is a 10" vinyl, 2 tracks per side, offering up almost half an hour of... More »

Nordvrede make no excuses. They play the Black Metal they want to hear the way they like it. An ethos like that deserves respect especially when the music lives up to expectations and manages to successfully blend a modern sound with more traditional elements.
Utilising an... More »

Since Regnum Umbra Ignis haven't unleashed anything for five years it has been left to Sagrada Blasfêmia to carry the flag of Brazilian underground Black Metal. Indulging in this is comparable to having a zombie on your back chewing at your skull and ripping your... More »

Israel, probably the most hated country on the planet for a whole flotilla of reasons, hasn't had much to shout about in terms of Black Metal. Sure there's the Mesopotamian cheese of Melechesh but no bands of real underground quality to speak of that I... More »

On offer here is some of the meatiest Black Metal around, highly collectible and sought after as it is release in 3 variations: 12" vinyl format with an 8-page zine style booklet and A2 sized-poster, yellow vinyl 'die hard' copies come with both Morbosidad and... More »

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From the Depths...

Black Metal is dead. In the UK at least. Seeing as though it is the place that gave birth to the genre it is as fuckin’ useless a broke-dick dog. There is no scene to speak of, just the odd one or two equally useless bands trying in vain to mimic some of the more […]

Opening with a song title of the length Bal Sagoth would be proud of (thankfully that’s as the only comparison to draw), the imaginatively titled ‘A Glimpse of the Image of Lucifer Gleaming Beyond the Subterraneous Black Sun’ marches forth. Mid paced, it stamps away with the precision of a well oiled Black Metal machine […]